The New Monticito
by ilovenascar
Summary: AU. Takes place after Season 2 Finale. SamDanny, EdOther, MaryOther, NessaMike.
1. Background

MY ALTERNATE UNIVERSE INCLUDES:

Jillian died in a car crash.

Danny and Sam have been seeing each other secretly.

Matt Astin is a lieutenant in the LVPD that grew up with Danny & Mary, had a crush on Mary from the time he could talk. Left Vegas after college, only been back for six months. Looks like Julian McMahon.

Audrey Juliet Ryan (Julie) is the daughter of Ed's mentor for the CIA. Born in Ireland, she's lived in England since her husband died with her twin three-year-old girls, Chelsea and Shannon. Looks like Catherine Oxenberg. 


	2. Chapter 1

Title: The New Monticito

Name: April

* * *

Danny McCoy and Ed Deline came from seperate directions, but met in front of the hospital room where Danny's old friend Lt Matt Astin stood. Both Danny and Ed seemed to have aged years with the stress of the past twenty-four hours and fear mixed with concern in their eyes.

"How is she?" Ed asked.

"She wants to see you both. You first, sir, and then Danny." Ed nodded, going in immediately, not knowing how much time they had left.

"Sam?" She looked so pale and still that for a split second he was terrified they'd been too late.

"Ed." Sam opened her swollen eyes.

"I'm here. Danny's outside."

She nodded, knowing they'd get there. "He gave me the Monticito...before he died. Take care of it...And Danny?"

"Danny'll take care of himself and I'll watch over the Monticito until you're better." He refused to allow himself to consider losing her like he'd lost Jillian only three months before and he didn't even dream of telling Sam there wasn't much left of the Monticito.

"Danny..." Ed left, allowing Danny to come in.

"Hey, babe." He kissed her head. "They're just going to get some of the swelling down. That's why you can't feel much right now."

"Where's Mary?" Danny's best friend had a habit of taking care of him, whether he needed it or not.

"Still in Hawaii. Don't worry. You'll be awake again long before the girls get back."

"Sleepy."

"I know. They want you asleep when they do the surgery." He gingerly brushed hair out of her face. "You want me to stay?" She carefully nodded and he held her hand until she was unconscious again.

He walked out in the hall with her, reluctantly letting of of her hand as they took her to surgery, then turning to Ed and Matt again. "What happened?"

"She was in Casey's limo with him; they were the only car involved. Limo driver was legally drunk; Casey was plastered...Sam didn't have a drop. We got to the scene; she was asking for the two of you and talking about the Monticito. I saw it on the news. I'm sorry." Ed nodded, more worried about DeLinda, Nessa, and Sam than he was the casino.

"She asked about Mary," Danny said.

"You want me to call her?" Matt asked. Danny hesitated.

"She needs to know about the casino and the girls," Ed told him. "It's up to her whether she wants to come home or not. Does you know where Mike is?"

"Last time I saw him he was with his aunt."

Ed nodded. "I'm going back, try to get in touch with the girls again. Call me if there's anything on Sam." Danny nodded, watching his boss walk away.

"I'll call Mary. You should stay around, wait for Sam." Matt paused. "Listen, Danny...I heard about your dad. I'm sorry."

Danny paused, everything coming back again. "Yeah. Listen, thanks for calling us."

"Don't mention it." Matt went to call Mary.


	3. Chapter 2

Mary Connell sat on the beach alone, missing Vegas and her friends, when her cell phone rang. She looked at the Caller ID and answered immediately. "Matt?" She dreaded bad news from home. 

"Mary." He paused and then just said it. "Nessa and DeLinda are in danger, Danny's dad died, and Sam's in pretty serious surgery."

She had a million questions, but only one answer. "I'll get the next flight home."

* * *

The tall blonde waited impatiently, searching for two girls, DeLinda she hadn't seen since she was ten, and Nessa she only knew through photographs. She hadn't heard from Ed since her father's death, years ago. When he called, entrusting her with the task of getting the girls back, it had been a true blast from the past, but considered it a favor for an old friend and she **ALWAYS** took those seriously. It was Ed who'd been her father's favorite 'spook'and, growing up, her favorite as well. 

"Ms. Ryan?" She turned to see a tall, attractive black American man coming toward her, approaching carefully. "My name is Mike. I work with Ed and DeLinda; I used to date Nessa." Mike Cannon pulled out one of Ed's business cards and his cell phone. "Ed's number is on here. Feel free to verify it."

She dialed and listened to Ed's voice before hanging up and handing the phone back. "Julie Ryan," she extended her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you," Mike shook her hand before they looked for the girls.

She let security take the hitman from the plane away while they went to the girls. "Mike," Nessa Holt said as he hugged her, the thousand nightmare scenarios coming to a halt as he held her safe in his embrace.

DeLinda Deline searched the other woman's face. "Julie?"

Julie nodded. "Your dad's been going crazy. Come on, we'll go call him, let him know you're all right, then catch the next flight back."

"No, no way. I want to see my sister," Nessa said, her accent no longer out of place, but still the best sound Mike had ever heard.

"Come on," Mike said, an arm around Nessa again. "We'll talk.

DeLinda used her cell phone to call her dad, trying the Monticito first, then his cell phone. "DeLinda?" Ed asked when he saw the number.

"Daddy, what's going on?"

"Honey, just do what Julie says, let her help you come home."

"Nessa wants to see her sister; I think she should."

"No. Absolutely not. It's too dangerous, even with Julie there. You're coming home."

"I'm not a child, Daddy, and this isn't like sleeping with Danny. This is important. I'll be back at work at the Monticito in..."

"The Monticito's gone," Ed said, the words like a knife. "Sam was in a car crash...she's in surgery."

"Like Mom?" The doctors had done everything they possibly could to save her mother, but she'd still died anyway.

"Maybe. I don't know. They think they can fix it, but the surgery's pretty dangerous."

"Okay, Daddy." She paused. "I'll tell Nessa. Does Mike know? Should I tell him too?"

"Mike's there with you?" Ed asked, relieved, knowing there was a better chance of getting the girls home if Mike was in charge of Nessa and Julie in charge of DeLinda.

"Yeah."

"No, he doesn't know. Only Danny and me...by now probably Mary."

"Okay." She shut the phone, ending the call, as Mike led Nessa back over. "We need to go home."

Mike looked at Julie, unsure what had brought this turn in events for one of the girls. "Daddy said the Monticito's gone...Sam's in surgery," DeLinda told him.

Nessa found herself torn between the sister she'd never known and the sister she'd adopted two years ago. "We'll go home." When she called Vegas home, she felt surprised, yet reassured. Mike had tried their whole relationship to get her to see that Vegas was her home, but it took her friends hurting, the place they loved destroyed, to make her understand.

Mike held Nessa and chatted with DeLinda as Julie went to get the tickets, making a phone call to hersitter so that she could go with them, assuring a safe passage for the girls and Mike.

* * *

Matt hugged Mary as she got off the plane. "Are you okay?" 

She nodded. "Yeah, I think so." She paused. "We broke up."

"He's an idiot."

Mary managed a smile. "Thanks."

"Danny's still at the hospital. He hasn't left the chair outside surgery."

"He loves her; he just thinks I don't know."

"You're okay with it?"

"I've given up on us working out and he deserves to be happy. I'm justglad it's a friend as opposed to someone I don't like. I wish he'd stop trying to hide it from everyone, especially me and Ed. It's ridiculous." She knew though, that Danny didn't want to hurt them, and he wasn't sure, since Sam was like a sister, if it would hurt her and no one wanted to add anymore to what Ed was dealing with, even before everything fell apart.

Marylooked out the window andMatt drove until she told him to stop outside the rambles of the Monticito. She got out of the car and just looked at it; he followed her. "Mary?"

"I knew...I knew they were talking about blowing it up, but..." She turned to him and he held his arms around her. "I know about Danny and Sam," she finally said, a lump in her throat, her eyes red, his shirt wet with tears. "Where's Ed and the girls? What about Mike?"

"Ed's trying to get in touch with the girls; he's got a friend in England there to bring them back. He's also trying to find Mike."

"We should go to the hospital. Danny needs us." He nodded, an arm still around her, opening her door for her, closing it when she was in, and going around to his side, driving to the hospital.

* * *

Not a lot of Sam/Danny in this, but still trying to introduce everyone. More next time, I promise, and thank you for the reviews I received. I love getting them. 


	4. Chapter 3

Matt stood against the hospital wall, watching until he was sure Mary didn't need him. Danny and he, the small gang from the Monticito, were all she had. He knew she was worried about Danny; she had every right to be. She'd been holding Danny's hand for at least five minutes and he had no idea she was there yet. 

Danny finally looked over at Mary, hugging her. "When did you get home?"

"An hour ago."

"Sam's hurt."

He seemed so helpless that she rubbed his back to try to soothe him as she had when he'd come home after his mother's death. "They'll fix her." It was a rash promise, but one she hoped was true.

"What was she doing with Casey?"

"I don't know." She wanted to think that, rather than cheating on Danny and having anything to do with the destruction of the Monticito, Sam had been there to try to talk sense into her ex-husband, not that it made much difference either way. She'd been there and she was now here, hanging on for her life.

* * *

Ed met the group at the airport, his arms going around DeLinda, hugging his daughter, too scared to be angry with her. He looked at Nessa, who looked back at him, but stayed near Mike, holding Mike's hand. He looked at Julie, letting his firm embrace on his daughtergo to a protective but loving arm aroundDelinda's shoulders. "Thanks," he said, making eye contact with Julie.

She nodded. It was different seeing Ed after all this time, but , at the same time, felt like he'd always been there. "I'm sorry about the Monticito and the girl."

He nodded. "Can you stay?"

She shook her head. "I've got to get back to the girls."

"Daddy," DeLinda said, "Can we go see Sam?"

He kissed her blonde head. "She's still in surgery. We can go to the hospital though." She nodded and they left, daughter with father, followed by Nessa with Mike, still holding on to her as if she'd vanish before his eyes.

* * *

Matt had gotten a call and was gone by the time the four arrived. Ed and Mike stood beside Danny as Mary hugged the girls. The doctor came out of surgery, to everyone's relief.

"You're Samantha Marquez's father?" He asked Ed.

"We're all she has," Ed responded, trying to mask his shaken, worried appearance, if only for the sake of 'his kids'.

"She's awake. Still fuzzy on details, but the pain's there. We administered painkillers; she's tired and weak. She's in a private room, so you can see her, but take it easy. She's very lucky to have made it this far."

They went in as a family, in one group, Ed still with his daughter, Mike near Nessa, and Mary supporting Danny, as always. Sam still looked bruised and fragile, hooked up to machines, laying still on the cool white sheets. DeLinda held her father's hand but couldn't take more than a few minutes before going outside again, Nessa following.

"It's gonna be all right, Sammy," Mike said, using the familiar nickname he had for her before going out to the girls.

"You want me to stay?" Mary asked Danny quietly.

He shook his head and she went back out with Ed. "I want to go home," DeLinda said quietly.

"We'll go with her," Mike told him, knowing Ed had enough to deal with.

He looked hesitant, not that he didn't trust Mike or Nessa, just that he was having a hard time letting go of his daughter. "Okay." He watched them go before turning to Mary.

"I'll stay out here with him."

"I'm sorry about your vacation." Despite his reservations on her boyfriend, he wanted her to have fun and relax.

"I'll stay with Danny. Matt's coming back, so if he or Sam need anything, we'll be here."

He nodded. "I'll have my phone on. I want to go see how bad the Monticito is." She nodded and watched him leave before sitting outside Sam's room.


	5. Chapter 4

Delinda went to lay down and Nessa sat down on the couch, Mike sitting beside her. "How's Delinda?" 

"Shaken. Sam's accident reminds her of Jillian. She's afraid Sam'll die too. She's asleep, for now."

"Anything you want to talk about?" Mike studied her.

"Ed knew my father was alive."

"So you're angry with him? I know you don't want to hear this, but whatever Ed does, he has a reason for."

"I'm just trying to process that our home has been destroyed, I have a sister I never knew, my father that was alive all these years is now dead, Sam's in the hospital, and someone hired a hit man to kill me and Delinda. I don't...I'm having troubles absorbing it all."

"I'm just glad you're okay." He put his arm on the back of the sofa and she put her head on his shoulder.

* * *

Matt settled down by Mary, bringing her a glass with a lid on it. "Thought you could use something to eat."

She opened it. "Ice cream." She smiled.

"How's Danny?"

"Sam's asleep; I convinced him to close his eyes and try to sleep while she is."

"Talk to me."

"Danny's hurting so much."

"That's Danny. What about you?" He studied her. He knew that she still took better care of Danny than she did herself.

"Mike took the girls home to sleep."

"Okay, that's good. As long as they're in the States, they're harder to get. What about Ed?"

"He's going to see what they can do about the Monticito."

"You want to go home, get some rest?"

She shook her head. "I want to stay here...in case Danny needs me."

"I'll stay."

She looked at him. "We broke up." He knew who she meant. "He wanted me to stay in Hawaii. My friends were in danger, Sam was in surgery, Danny and Ed...I couldn't have stayed. I needed to be here...with my family." She took a bite of the ice cream he'd brought. "Cookies and cream."

He nodded. "Still your favorite, right?"

She looked at him, seeing him for the first time in a long time, maybe ever. "Right."

* * *

Ed wandered the rubble of the Monticito, letting everything set in. Sam had a lot to do if she wanted to fix it back up. He hadn't divulged her secret; it wasn't important right now. He felt a soft touch on his shoulder and turned around. "Thought you had a plane waiting."

"Fog. I knew you'd be here, I had a few hours..."

He looked at her. "You want coffee?"

"Yeah." They went to the coffee shop near the rubble. "How's the girl?"

"Sam's doing better. Danny's staying with her."

"Now, Danny, who's he?"

"My right hand. My left too these days."

She nodded. "I heard about Jillian. I'm so sorry. She was a great lady."

He nodded, a lump still in his throat, knowing she understood since her husband had been killed on a CIA operation when she was pregnant with the girls. "I still wake up some mornings, I look over at her side of the bed, she's not there. It starts all over again. I felt angry at first, at her for 'leaving', at God for taking her, at myself for not going with her that day...then I felt guilty, again at not going with her that day, of not carrying on like she'd want me to. It's beenthree months, you know, and I know she's not coming back now, but...it's not easy to move on."

She nodded, listening. "What about Delinda?"

"She acted out the first two months, more than usual. She's settled down a little again. If there hadn't been a hitman after them, the trip would have been really good for her. She stayed in Sam's hospital room for a little bit, but Sam's just so...she looks like Jillian did, before." She nodded again. "She couldn't stay in there, so Mike and Nessa took her home." He paused, taking a sip of his coffee. "What about you and the girls?"

"Same. It's been three years and I still wish Bryan was here to see the girls. I went through the 'stages of grief', as my counselor said, but missing them never really goes away." She took a sip of her coffee before answering the rest of his question. "The girls are great, all over, in to everything, mischief makers."

He smiled. "Sounds familiar." When he'd first met her father, she was an older version of that. "Pictures?"

She pulled them out of her purse and he smiled. "They're beauties." He looked at the pictures carefully. "They look likesmall versions of you."

Julie smiled. "Thank you." He handed her back the pictures and she put them back in her purse.

* * *

Danny woke up to see Sam's eyes opened. "Hey." He sat on the bed, kissing her forehead. "How do you feel?"

"I hurt." She stroked his cheek. "You look bad."

"Well, thanks." He teased, smilingat her. "Matt and Mary are outside; Matt brought me some clothes. Mary'll stay with you while I change."

"Is everyone okay?"

He nodded. "Mike, Nessa, and Delinda are at Ed's. Mary and Matt have been talking outside. Ed's checking to see how much work will have to be done to the Monticito."

She looked at him. "What?"

He could have kicked himself for saying anything about it. "The Monticito was destroyed."

"No." She started crying and he moved to hold her loosely, trying to be careful not to hurt her. "No, that's impossible. Casey promised. He promised that he wouldn't blow it up," she said, her words muffled slightly by his shoulder.

"Why would he do that, Sam? He's the new owner; he can do anything he wants." He looked at her.

She shook her head. "Casey always liked to gamble. He always said that was why he married me." She paused. "One hand of cards; that's all the bet I wanted. It's not illegal to cheat a cheater."

"Sam, slow down." He brushed her hair out of her face and off her shoulders. "What?"

"I'm the new owner of the Monticito."


	6. Chapter 5

Matt hurried into the hall, going to Mary as she kissed him. "You made it." 

"No crime in Vegas." He joked, putting an arm around her, standing with 'the family'. Ed and Delinda were together, talking about something, Delinda driving her father crazier by the minute. Nessa and Mike were between them and him and Mary and Mike's smile seemed bigger, if that was possible.

Everyone's attention was turned when Danny helped Sam inside the room. "Surprise!"

Sam looked at Danny and then at Ed. The Monticito was nowhere near as glamorous as it had been, but construction had been started, leaving them with several rooms, a casino, a bar, and the restaurant and club, enough to get them started. "How?"

"There are some perks to owning a construction company," Danny told her, his arm still around her.

She kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

She hugged Ed. "Welcome home, honey," he said in his fatherly tone that she liked.

"Thank you," she whispered before hugging the others.

"We moved your bedroom downstairs so it would be easier for you," Delinda told her.

"Thanks, Delinda." The blonde nodded.

"Welcome home," Mary whispered, smiling at her, happy for her friends.

"Thanks." She knew Mary had kept Danny sane the last few weeks while Sam had struggled to recover and, for that, she'd always be grateful.

Mary and Mike walked on either side of Sam, Nessa and Delinda with Ed, and Matt fell back to Danny. "I hate to do this now, but I've been wanting to ask for weeks."

Danny stopped, looking at his longtime friend. "Ask what?"

"You and Mary. Anything...I mean, you're happy with Sam, right? You love her?"

Danny smiled, realizing what his friend was asking. "No, it's okay. Mary and I are just friends. Best friends, but just friends." He paused. "How long?"

"Since I could talk." He couldn't ever remember not loving Mary, even before he knew what the feeling was.

Danny feltguilty about that. If Mary hadn't wasted her energy on him all those years, maybe she and Matt would have found each other earlier. "I know I don't have to tell you to take care of her." There was no doubt in his mind that Matt would ever hurt her.

Matt nodded. "You don't."

"Have you talked to her yet?"

He nodded. "We're supposed to go out for our first date tonight, but we both wanted to talk to you first."

Danny nodded, watching Mary and Sam. "I wish I'd done that with Sam, asked Mary. I think it would have been easier on everyone."

"She couldn't be happier for you guys." They walked over, Danny sitting with a protective and loving arm around Sam, Matt sitting with a smile next to Mary.

Delinda left first for a date, one with someone Ed visibly did not approve of, then Danny watched as Sam's eyes began to close. He brushed some hair out of her face. "Ready?" He whispered. She started to argue, but nodded, forcing her eyes open again.

They said their goodbyes and Mary showed them to where the girls had moved her room. Sam went to lay down and Danny looked at his best friend. "Matt?"

"He talked to you?" She asked, pushing some of her hair behind her ear, something she tended to do when she was nervous.

"Yeah." He paused. "I'm glad."

She nodded. "I am too...about you and Sam." She started to walk away.

"Mary?" She turned back around. "Thanks." She smiled at him and walked back to Matt.

The two young couples left for dates and Ed sat there in the silence before pulling out his cell phone. "Hello?" The familiar friendly English voice asked.

"Julie? It's Ed."

* * *

Danny took a shower and lay down beside his girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her waist. She turned around to him and he smiled, brushing hair out of her face. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Just got tired."

"Okay."

She stroked his cheek. "What were you and Matt talking about?"

"He asked Mary out, wanted to make sure I didn't have a problem with that."

"Did you?"

He shook his head. "Why would I? Mary's my best friend, but she'll never be you...and I can't think of a time that wouldn't be a good thing."

She laughed. "There's two ways I can take that, you know?"

"Two ways I meant it," he said with a grin.

She hit him with his pillow and he removed it from his face, pinning her down before kissing her. She smiled and he settled beside her, watching over her as she went to sleep.


End file.
